Aer Lingus celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2011. As part of the celebrations this book charts the history of the airline and its place within the broader history of Ireland. Mike Cronin, academic director of Boston College - Ireland, has written widely on Ireland's history, including The Blueshirts and Irish Politics (1997), Sport and Nationalism in Ireland (1999), and The GAA - A People's History (2009) with Mark Duncan and Paul Rouse.